Text Size

In an interview with Esquire, Panetta says, “Bravo was in the room when we were talking about the bin Laden operation at the CIA.” (Bravo is Panetta’s golden retriever.)

Panetta was CIA director at the time of bin Laden operation in May 2011.

“I remember going through that whole thing with him sitting by me. And the ability to put my hand on his head and feel his presence just kinda made me feel ‘OK, this is an important issue and it’s a big issue, but in many ways, it’s about whether or not we are able to protect the quality of life that we enjoy,’ and having a dog there just makes you a little more aware of what life is really about.”

Panetta talked to Esquire last month, and he also discussed the role classical music plays in his life.

“Italians are romantics, and my mother taught me the value of beauty and the appreciation for life. She really wanted me to be a concert pianist. That’s always been with me, because every time I sit down and play Mozart, Chopin, Beethoven and Schubert, I think of her.”

Part of Panetta’s romantic nature comes from his skills in the kitchen.

“The one thing I make pretty good is gnocchi. People have commented on it. I do it for the holidays. So if I were inviting Kim Jong Un over for dinner, I’d make him a plate of gnocchi. We’d have a glass of wine. And basicall, I’d try to understand: What’s his thinking?”

On his non-romantic side is Panetta’s love of foul language.

“Could I imagine a world without cursing? Hell, no! Every place I’ve ever gone, people have had to hold their ears. When I use those words, it helps make the point.”